Epistemology & Philosophy of Mind: Detailed Class Summary

Flashcards based on the key concepts discussed in the Epistemology and Philosophy of Mind lecture.

Knowledge

Justified true belief; a cognitive contact with reality that includes belief, truth, and justification.

Justified True Belief (JTB)

A traditional epistemological analysis of knowledge originating from Plato, consisting of three elements: belief, truth, and justification.

Skepticism

A philosophical position questioning the possibility of certain knowledge; includes general skepticism and specific types such as religious and induction skepticism.

Empiricism

The view that knowledge comes primarily from sensory experience and observation.

Rationalism

The belief that reason and innate knowledge are primary sources of knowledge, in contrast to sensory experience.

Dualism

The theory that mind and body are fundamentally different substances; the mind is a thinking substance, while the body is a non-thinking material substance.

Materialism

The doctrine that only material substances exist; the mind is seen as a complex arrangement of physical matter.

Causal Interaction

The concept in dualism that allows for the mind and body to influence each other despite being different substances.

Nativism

The theory that certain knowledge is innate and not acquired through experience; often associated with rationalism.

Cogito Ergo Sum

The statement by Descartes meaning 'I think, therefore I am,' used to establish the certainty of one's existence through thought.

Testimony

Knowledge obtained through the claims of others, which can be analyzed as either empiricist or rationalist knowledge.

The Problem of Other Minds

The philosophical issue concerning the difficulty of knowing other people's mental states.

Tabula Rasa

The idea that individuals are born as a 'blank slate' without innate knowledge; associated with John Locke and empiricism.

Induction Skepticism

The philosophical doubt regarding knowledge gained through inductive reasoning, especially related to future events or unobserved conditions.

Thought Experiments

Hypothetical scenarios used by philosophers to illustrate concepts and explore knowledge claims.

Functionalism

The theory that mental states are defined by their functional roles rather than by their internal constitutions.

Property Dualism

The view that mental states are properties of a physical substance rather than being a separate substance.

Identity Theory

A materialist view positing that mental states are identical to physical brain states.

Persistence of Bodily State

The philosophical inquiry into whether a body can exist without a functioning mind or consciousness.